1. Technical Field
This invention relates to labeling media, and more particularly to labeling media for use in electronic printing devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a number of industrial applications requiring identifying markers for tagging components in complicated assemblies or wiring configurations, such as in aircraft electronics and manufacturing control systems. Wires may be marked very simply by writing an identifiable legend on a tape flag affixed to the wire. An alternate method includes marking the wires with a metal or plastic marker sleeve crimped or otherwise attached to the wire. An electronic printer may be used to provide clearly recognizable alphanumeric labeling. The marker sleeves may be printed on directly, or a label may be printed and inserted in or adhered to the marker sleeve.
Whether it is a label or a sleeve that is printed, the labeling media typically comprises a series of printable portions that are attached to a carrier transport web, also known as a carrier strip. A transport web is generally a thin, flexible supporting member with evenly spaced apertures throughout its length that engage with a drive sprocket or are detected by a photoelectric sensing device for advancing the transport web incrementally past the print head. The transport web is fed through the printer and one or more labels are marked. The labels/sleeves are then removed from the carrier and attached to objects, such as wires, needing identification. As there are many types of label applications, there are many combinations of labels and transport webs that provide labels of varying sizes, colors and formats.
There are a number of U.S. patents that disclose labeling media for use in electronic printing devices in which either a marker sleeve or label is printed on and used for wire identification. These patents generally fall into one of three groups, namely: (1) label markers supported by and adhered to a separate transport web, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,882; (2) label marker sleeves fastened to a separate transport web with a tab-slot or other mechanical fastening arrangement, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,010; and (3) label marker sleeves made of multiple webs, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,939.
The first two groups include separate labels or sleeves which receive the ink marking and a transport web supporting the labels/sleeves. In both cases, the labels/sleeves are removably fixed to the transport web. The difference between the groups principally resides in the way in which the labels/sleeves are joined to the transport web. Labels may be adhered either to a surface of the web or adhered to an adhesive layer backing of the web with the labels disposed in openings in the web. Sleeves, such as the tubular sleeves of the '010 patent, may be joined to the transport web at tab projections sized to fit within the ends of the tubular sleeves. The third group of patents stated above has an assembly of two separate transport webs sealed together along longitudinal and transverse seams. The material is weakened at these seams so that marker sleeves can be broken away from the carrier web.
The above labeling media are assemblies of labels physically connected to a separate transport web in some way. The union of the labels to the web or the use of multiple webs adds to the complexity of producing the labeling media. Furthermore, the multiple components and assembly represent a large percentage of the production cost of the labeling media. Accordingly, a need exists in the art for an economical labeling media for use with a printer such that assembly is simplified or not required.